


alien planet au

by GeneratorCat



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alien Planet, Alien Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Drabble Sequence, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-26 08:50:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12553732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeneratorCat/pseuds/GeneratorCat
Summary: Tim signs up with a colonising facility on an alien planet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey so this is gonna be a drabble series in no particular order really, just whatever I feel of writing in this au I dreamt of a while back. there’s actually a whole story but I don’t have the energy to really flesh it out all the way, so it’s just gonna be bits and pieces :)

“That’s not the way Jason would do it.” The voice in his ear is soft, despite the scathing judgement. Sounds like a child, actually. A petulant child. “You’re doing it wrong!”

“Just because it’s not how Jason did it, doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” Tim snaps, twisting out of the way of a curious vine. He’s trying to get a reading on it but the panel on his arm keeps flickering on and off. “It’d work if you would just trust me.”

“But Jason-”

“Jason’s gone!” 

And just like that, all of the power in his suit turns off. Not just the panel on his arm, not just flickering. His helmet goes dark and he can hardly move, definitely not fast enough to dodge the vine as it comes back around, wrapping around his ankle and snapping back to send him crashing into the dirt of the jungle floor. 

There’s a crackle of static overhead, then a voice. “Alright, you’re done for the day, Drake.”

“Fuck,” Tim groans, rolling onto his back. He flicks open the clasps of his helmet and yanks it off. Around him the jungle fades into nothing, the simulated foliage disappearing and leaving him on a concrete floor surrounded by grey walls. He struggles out of his suit and has to carry it out of the room. Humiliating. 

Outside is the observation room, where everyone got to watch his failure on huge monitors. Tim ignores the other trainees that are probably laughing at him. One of the tech guys approaches and runs a scanner over Tim’s helmet. He clicks his tongue. “Nothing wrong with him. Looks like he just went and shut himself down.”

“That’s fantastic,” Tim sighs. Nothing’s broken, which means it isn’t something he can fix. Not with his usual tools at least. 

“You must have really pissed him off, what’d you do?”

“He went off about how  _ Jason would have done it _ , and I told him I’m not Jason.”

The tech grimaces. “Ah, yeah, Robin gets real tetchy about Jason.”

Tim stares at the man for a long moment. “Right. Thanks.” As if Tim didn’t already know that. 

“You’re scheduled same time tomorrow, you think you can work this out before then? If not,” he shrugs, glances back at the monitors, “honestly it’s kinda fun watching you eat shit. We don’t get that much action around here.”

“Glad I could entertain you.” Tim stomps out of the training area, his suit and helmet a cold bundle in his arms. His boots echo down the halls of the base as he makes his way back to his quarters. Throwing himself onto his bunk, he drops his equipment onto the bedside table next to him. 

“Robin.” No response. He feels a little silly talking to an empty room, but, “I know you can hear me. We’ve gotta talk about this, okay?”

Nothing. 

Tim rolls over, the mattress squeaking beneath him. “Figures,” he mumbles to himself. His feet are cold, and he tucks them underneath his scratchy blanket. “I make it all the way here and I’m stuck with an AI that hates me.” 


	2. Chapter 2

A tray slaps onto the table across from Tim, and then a tank of a man swings his legs over the bench. The water in Tim’s cup sloshes dangerously. 

“Shit luck,” he says, digging into the mound of mashed potatoes on his plate.

Tim swallows some green beans. “What?”

“You’re the guy they assigned Robin to, yeah?”

Tim nods.

The man sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, shaking his head in sympathy. “It’s gonna be rough. Just for you, though. It’ll be fun for everyone else.”

Noise from around the cafeteria settles between them while Tim waits for some kind of explanation. When it doesn’t come he asks, “Why?” 

“Because we get to watch,” he answers, like it’s obvious. 

“No, why is it going to be rough for me?”

“Ah, that. Well, the poor thing’s obsessed with his old partner. Hasn’t worked right with anyone they’ve tried to set him up with since he lost Jason.” 

Tim frowns. “I didn’t realise the AI were so… personified.” 

“Oh yeah, big time. They’ve all got personalities, memories, attitude. Mine’s a real bitch sometimes. But I love her.” He smiles, proud.

Tim thinks that’s probably because this guy is a bitch too. “So what happened to this Jason?”

“I’m surprised you haven't heard about it yet,” the man says. “He’s like a legend here. But not in a good way, more like… a cautionary tale. This is, what, your third day here?”

“Second.”

“Yeah, you’ll hear more about him soon enough. The higher ups love to lord him over the newbies, make sure you stay in line.” 

Finished with his dinner, Tim starts on the slice of apple pie. It’s not that great. “Dick told me Robin was the best.”

The man snorts. “Of course he did. He was Robin’s first partner. They worked together for a few years before Dick got promoted. Then Robin went to Jason, and Jason went crazy, and Robin went crazy, and since then every unlucky bastard that gets Robin goes a little crazy until they demand to be reassigned. It’s a shame,” he says, giving a charming smile, one that invites a punch to the face, “you seem like a nice guy.” 

“You seem like an asshole.”

The man laughs. He shrugs, not denying it. “I’m Kon,” he says.

“Tim.” He stands, picks up his tray to leave. “See you around, I guess.”

“A word of advice, Tim,” Kon calls after him. “Submit a request for a reassignment ASAP!” 


End file.
